- Shimla will implement a 41-day special traffic plan to ease vehicle movement during the New Year festivities.
A year after Shimla, Manali and other parts of Himachal Pradesh witnessed massive traffic jams during the Christmas and New Year festivals, the authorities have come up with a special plan to avoid traffic jams during festivities this year. The Shimla district administration will implement a special traffic management system starting from Friday, December 20. The plan will remain in place till January 20 next year.
A meeting was held on road safety involving officials from Shimla District Administration on Monday to discuss measures to implement to ensure smooth flow of traffic as well as safety for commuters. Shimla is expecting around five lakh vehicles from other states arriving at the popular hill station between December 20 and January 20.
The special plan to manage traffic in Shimla comes a year after the city witnessed massive traffic snarls during the festivities last year. Long queues of vehicles lined up on roads leading to popular Himachal Pradesh tourist destinations like Shimla, Manali and Atal Tunnel were witnessed in December 2023. Earlier this month, Shimla and other parts of the state witnessed heavy snowfall which also led to road accidents with vehicles. sliding on black ice.
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Christmas, New Year traffic rush: What Shimla authorities have planned
Several steps have been planned to ensure smoother vehicle movement during the upcoming holiday and festival season. 40 crore budget has been proposed to implement the plan. Shimla Police will set up crash barriers at accident-prone areas like Chopal, Rampur and Shimla. Around 80 home guards will also be deployed to ensure traffic movements are smooth to avoid congestion during rush periods. Authorities will also set up temporary parking facilities for tourists across various locations.
To help tourists and commuters, Shimla will also get 100 new signage boards providing information on U-turns, traffic rules and emergency contacts. As many as 10 4×4 vehicles equipped with snow chains and five JCB machines will be stationed in Theog, Khadapathar, Kumarsain, Chopal and Shimla to clear snow from the roads to avoid possibility of accidents. Four ambulances will also be kept on standby for medical emergencies.
During this festive season, Shimla will put restrictions on large commercial vehicles. According to the plan, big trucks will only be allowed in Shimla between midnight and 8am. The rule will be relaxed for commercial vehicles carrying essential goods like fuel.
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First Published Date: 17 Dec 2024, 10:21 AM IST
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